Residents, visitors and local businesses across the county are welcoming today’s sunny weather with open arms, particularly after yesterday’s howling wind and heavy rain forced a number of events to be cancelled.

Sporting fixtures were hit hard by the bad weather on Friday night into yesterday morning.

Among the football clubs to have games called off were King’s Lynn Town and Lowestoft Town, the latter’s home clash against Enfield Town being cancelled because of a water-logged pitch.

Great Yarmouth Town’s Thurlow Nunn First Division match at Needham Market Reserves was called off following an early morning pitch inspection of the Suffolk club’s waterlogged pitch. The postponement means Yarmouth’s first team has not played since January 25.

But with the sun back over Norfok and Suffolk, tourist attractions are hoping better weather will help boost half term.

At Wroxham Barns in Hoveton, school holiday events include lamb-feeding and craft workshops.

“You would have to have been brave to chance getting blown about yesterday on the first day of half term when you’ve got another six days to play wit,” said owner Ian Russell, admitting that Saturday’s weather was a “challenge”.

“The east is in a good place, both literally and metaphorically, sadly unlike our colleagues in the south west.

“If people are going to go away for half term they are going to come east.

“Our forecast is clearly and consistantly better than in other parts of the UK at the moment.

“And it’s not just visitors, the resident population is fed up of being stuck inside and want to get out there and do things.”

Mr Russell added Wroxham Barns had invested heavily in undercover facilities in recent years; the popular lamb-feeding sessions, which started on Saturday, take place inside a barn meaning they can go ahead whatever the weather.

Also open for business and basking in today’s sunshine are the National Trust’s sites at Blicking, Sheringham Park, Oxburgh and Felbrigg.

The strong winds forced Blicking Hall to cancel its park run and shut the formal gardens yesterday, but facilties are open as normal today.